John Edwards Fast Facts

By CNN Library

Updated 3:46 PM ET, Thu June 26, 2014

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – U.S. Sen. John Edwards, center, and other senators discuss President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial on February 3, 1999. More than a year later, Vice President Al Gore reportedly put Edwards on his "short list" as a running mate on the 2000 Democratic presidential ticket (before picking Joe Lieberman).

Hide Caption

1 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Edwards at a news briefing in Kennedy's office in 2001.

Hide Caption

2 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – In 2004, Democratic vice presidential candidate Edwards speaks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Hide Caption

3 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, greets his running mate, Edwards, at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Hide Caption

4 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards appears on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in October 2004.

Hide Caption

5 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – A month later, the candidate for vice president speaks at an Election Night campaign rally in Boston.

Hide Caption

6 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, meets with children after a town-hall gathering in Iowa in 2007. She passed away in 2010 from breast cancer after separating from Edwards.

Hide Caption

7 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – In September 2007, Edwards attends a Democratic presidential debate in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Hide Caption

8 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – During his "poverty tour," Democratic presidential candidate Edwards toured eight states. Here he speaks in Pittsburgh in July 2007.

Hide Caption

9 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination in Waterloo, Iowa, in December 2007.

Hide Caption

10 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Speaking to Iowans during a New Year's Day 2008 campaign event, Edwards tries to earn votes for the upcoming Iowa caucuses.

Hide Caption

11 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards greets supporters in New Hampshire in January 2008.

Hide Caption

12 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton, Edwards and Barack Obama point to supporters and family members in the audience after a debate in New Hampshire in January 2008.

Hide Caption

13 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Days before South Carolina's 2008 Democratic primary, Edwards speaks to the press in Bennettsville.

Hide Caption

14 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards, who bowed out of the presidential race, speaks to the media with his family -- Cate, left, Emma Claire, Jack and his wife, Elizabeth -- in New Orleans in late January 2008.

Hide Caption

15 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards endorsed Barack Obama after Hillary Clinton won the West Viriginia primary.

Hide Caption

16 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Rielle Hunter, Edwards' former mistress, holds their daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, in August 2009. Prosecutors accused Edwards of using nearly $1 million in illegal campaign contributions to keep his pregnant mistress under wraps as he ran for president in 2008. Defense attorneys argued the donations could not be considered campaign contributions. They said Edwards was guilty of being a bad husband but had committed no crime.

Hide Caption

17 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Former Edwards aide Andrew Young and his wife, Cheri, listen during a 2010 hearing in North Carolina. Defense attorneys argued that Young used the money for his own gain and to pay for Hunter's medical expenses to hide the affair from Edwards' wife.

Hide Caption

18 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards and two of his children, Emma Claire and Jack, leave the funeral service for Elizabeth Edwards, who died at 61 after a six-year battle with breast cancer in December 2010.

Hide Caption

19 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards' mug shot was released after the former presidential candidate pleaded not guilty in June 2011 to charges of accepting illegal campaign contributions, falsifying documents and conspiracy.

Hide Caption

20 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards enters a Greensboro, North Carolina, courthouse for his federal corruption trial with daughter Cate on May 21, 2012.

Hide Caption

21 of 22

Photos: The rise and fall of John Edwards22 photos

The rise and fall of John Edwards – Edwards addresses the media after his acquittal and mistrial, with his daughter Cate and his parents Wallace and Bobbie Edwards at his side, outside the Greensboro courthouse on Thursday, May 31, 2012. After nine days of deliberation, a jury acquitted Edwards on one count but deadlocked on five other counts in his corruption trial. It's unclear what the Justice Department will do next, but Edwards says his years of service aren't over.

Hide Caption

22 of 22

Here is a look at the life of John Edwards, former senator from North Carolina.

Religion: MethodistOther Facts:Former senator from North Carolina, candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008, and Democratic nominee for vice president in 2004.

Edwards had no previous political experience before winning the 1998 Senate election.

He was the first person in his family to attend college.

As a presidential candidate in the 2008 election, Edwards repeatedly lied about an extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter, a documentary filmmaker. He admitted the affair to ABC News on August 8, 2008.

Timeline:1981 - Joins the Wade Smith Law Firm in Raleigh, North Carolina.

1993 - Starts his own law firm with partner David Kirby, concentrating on personal injury law.

1996 - Is named "Lawyer of the Year" by Lawyers Weekly.

1998 - Receives 51.2% of the vote in general election to Republican Lauch Faircloth's (incumbent) 47% to win seat in the U.S. Senate.

January 3, 1999 - Is sworn in as senator.

June 29, 2001 - Edwards and Senator John McCain, act as chief sponsors of the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act.

January 2, 2003 - Announces the formation of an presidential campaign exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission.

September 16, 2003 - Formally announces his candidacy for president, in the town where he grew up, Robbins, North Carolina.

October 14, 2003 - Announces that he will not vote for the $87 billion Iraq aid package.

January 19, 2004 - Takes 2nd place in the Iowa caucuses with 32% of the vote.

February 3, 2004 - Wins the South Carolina Primary with 45% of the votes, 2nd in Oklahoma and Missouri.

August 8, 2008 - In an interview with Nightline, Edwards admits to an extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter, a woman hired to make documentary videos for his campaign. He denies he is the father of her young daughter, due to the timing of the affair, though he hasn't taken a paternity test.

May 2009 - Elizabeth Edwards publishes a memoir, "Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities." She addresses the affair saying "I wanted him to drop out of the race, protect our family from this woman, from his act."

January 21, 2010 -Admits he fathered a daughter, Quinn, with Rielle Hunter and has been providing financial support for her for the last year.

January 27, 2010 - Separates from his wife of more than 32 years.

January 30, 2010 -"The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down," by his former aide, Andrew A. Young, is published. Young claims campaign donation money from socialite Bunny Mellon was used to pay for Rielle Hunter's pregnancy expenses.

December 2010 -A federal investigation into Edwards campaign finances includes grand jury appearances by Bunny Mellon's family. Mellon gave various checks totaling $700,000 to Edwards. The question is whether the money was a gift or should it have been declared campaign contributions. Her advanced age, 100, makes it unlikely Mellon herself will appear before the grand jury.

December 7, 2010 -Elizabeth Edwards dies of cancer.

February 2011 - Bunny Mellon testifies on camera in the Edwards investigation.

February 8, 2011 - Edwards gives a deposition in the lawsuit of Rielle Hunter against Andrew Young. Hunter is suing Young to reclaim materials that she says belong to her, including an alleged sex tape that involves Edwards.

April 29, 2011 - A North Carolina judge rules that Edwards must testify again in the lawsuit of Rielle Hunter against Andrew Young.

June 3, 2011 - Edwards is indicted on six counts including conspiracy, issuing false statements, and violating campaign contribution laws. Edwards pleads not guilty. "There's no question I've done wrong ... but I did not break the law."

June 26, 2012 -Rielle Hunter's book "What Really Happened: John Edwards, Our Daughter, and Me" is published. She also announces that she and John Edwards are no longer a couple.

May 17, 2013 - Edwards reactivates his license to practice law.

November 18, 2013 - Edwards announces the formation of Edwards Kirby Attorneys at Law. The North Carolina firm reunites Edwards with his former law partner David Kirby. His daughter Cate and her law partner Sharon Eubanks operate the Washington, DC office of the firm.